Shanghai

Race Date:

19 Oct 2008

Number of Laps:

56

Circuit Length:

5.451 km

Race Distance:

305.066 km

Lap Record:

1:32.238 - M Schumacher (2004)

The Shanghai International Circuit was designed as the race circuit for the new millennium. And the modern track, with its stunning architecture, has achieved its goal of becoming China's gateway to the world of Formula One racing.

Circuit architects Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl on their creation: “The 5.4 kilometre racing track is shaped like the Chinese character 'shang', which stands for 'high' or 'above'. Other symbols represented in the architecture originate from Chinese history, such as the team buildings arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yuyan-Garden in Shanghai. Here, nature and technology are carefully used to create harmony between the elements.”

Not only is the course remarkable for its change of acceleration and deceleration within different winding turns, making high demands on the driver as well as the car, but also for its high-speed straights. These offer crucial overtaking opportunities and give an intense and exciting motorsport experience to the spectators. The Main Grandstand with 29,000 seats provides a spectacular view of almost 80 percent of the circuit.

Fuji International Speedway was established exactly 4 decades ago.It has very beautiful landscape of the majestic Mt. Fuji on a fine day.The course length is 4,563meters.

Let us start to introduce the race track from the main straight. The main straight length is 1,475m and it is the longest one out of the Grand Prix circuit.

Difference of the highest speed at the main straight depends on how to accelerate from the Panasonic Corner. Also, to overtake using slipstream is to offer exciting scene during the race.The First Corner is the key point that full braking from high speed in the Home straight would decide the performance. You may feel the very strong braking which is one of the features of Formula One.

Through the exit of the First Corner with 10% downhill, the car presses the gas going into the gently curved the Second Corner to the Coca-Cola Corner.In the Coca-Cola Corner, Passage speed from the clipping point of the First Corner and following accelerate seriously affect the Coca-Cola Corner. The exit of the corner rises and difficult to see outside of the exit so that this point is difficult for accelerate timing.

Between the Coca-Cola Corner and the Fifth Corner, there is a mid-speed 100R. The moment is occurring in the left to the exit of the 100R, the car will be approaching to the left turn of the Hair Pin Corner with full braking. This is very tight corner for the car which to perform braking while a moment changes from the left to the right.This corner is also one of the passing points.

It becomes compound 300R, depending the car setting would be affected for driving speed from the Hair Pin Corner to the Dunlop Corner. In front of the Dunlop Corner would be an effective passing point.This point is the lowest altitude in the course layout.

After the Dunlop Corner, between the Thirteenth Corner to the Netz Corner, it is very different from the high speed areas. The driver needs to control their demand to accelerate. This area is very difficult to drive rhythmically. Due to differences of the balance between high speed areas, both of the driver and the team need to concern or make decision of the car setting. In fact, this area is very important over taking point for other formula car race.

Finally, the Panasonic Corner comes. As we mentioned beginning, exit speed of this corner would be tremendous effect on the highest speed at the Main Straight.

There must be exciting that the Formula one pass through in front of the Grand Stand and it is second to nowhere in the other circuits.

Monza

Race Date:

14 Sep 2008

Number of Laps:

53

Circuit Length:

5.793 km

Race Distance:

306.720 km

Lap Record:

1:21.046 - R Barrichello (2004)

Monza is regarded by many as the embodiment of Formula One racing. Not only is it a fantastic example of a track that combines speed with skill, it also has a heart and soul all its own. It has seen some of the finest races of all time, but also some of the sport's worst accidents. The names of the great drivers and the sounds of engines from years gone by linger in the grand old trees which surround the track in the royal park.

Work began on the track in 1922 and was completed in under half a year. After Brooklands and Indianapolis it was the third permanent race track in existence. With a banked oval track incorporated into the design of the road racing circuit, the total track length stood at a whopping 10 kilometres.

The list of famous victories and horrifying accidents is long, and all combine to make Monza one of the most magical places on the Formula One calendar. For many there is nowhere that encapsulates the sport better than this circuit. The Italians call it "La Pista Magica," the magic track, a description few would disagree with.

The circuit was conceived in 1921. Its creators, using public roads twisting and turning through the Ardennes hills, produced a truly majestic 13 km road course which was both respected and feared by all who drove on it. The track was redeveloped in 1983 and although the new circuit in only half its original length, it retains much of its previous character and charm. Considered by many to be the best circuit on the F1 calendar, Spa has the longest lap length of all, and is certainly one of the most scenically situated, surrounded by wooded hillsides and small farms. It is also renowned for its changeable weather. Despite using public roads for half its length, Spa is used most weekends and on many weekdays for practice and testing. In 2005 the race returned to the rainy Ardennes and it was indeed a spectacle. The race was won by Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher won the World Championship for the 7th time. Make sure you will be here to watch all the action in 2007!!

The new Valencia street circuit is almost ready to welcome the F3 and GT cars that will headline its trial run this weekend, ahead of next month's European Grand Prix.

Map: (click to enlarge)

One of Formula One's latest additions is rapidly taking shape ahead of its trial run this coming weekend, when the Spanish F3 and GT series headline the inaugural event on Valencia's new street circuit.

Organisers have released an aerial image of the circuit, which wends its way around the city's America's Cup harbour and has undergone a rapid transformation following the event's confirmation on the F1 calendar. The entire 5.473km length - which has an expected lap time of min 37secs - has been resurfaced and the surrounding area given a facelift to welcome Bernie Ecclestone's travelling circus for the European Grand Prix over 22-24 August.

The circuit, which is framed by the Grao area of Valencia, is at least 14 metres wide, including asphalt borders identical to the track surface, which has been designed to withstand the unusual forces applied by F1 cars. In contrast to many street circuits, however, the organisers have been careful to rework the drainage system so that, unlike the rest of the city, the streets do not feature any manhole or drain covers.

The lap starts in front of the former port stalls, and continues clockwise around the docks' former perimeter road until it reaches the point known as Grua Cabria, where it passes in front of the America's Cup bases of Luna Rossa Challenge and BMW Oracle Racing, before returning to the road with a left turn around the Alinghi team's base.

The layout then moves on to the Paseo de las Palmeras, before reaching the esplanade and the North Marina, where a series of slow turns lead the drivers over the swing bridge crossing the dock access canal. This will be one of the focal points of the circuit when racing begins and is sure to provide a unique backdrop to images of the event.